WASHINGTON  The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy invites employers and other interested stakeholders to participate in an online dialogue Sept. 9-11 on hiring, retaining and advancing workers with disabilities.

"Clearly, employers are a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to increasing the employment rate of people with disabilities," said Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. "We need to fully understand their needs and how we can assist them so they, in turn, can foster workplaces open to the talents of all qualified individuals, including those of us with disabilities."

The online dialogue, "Employers: What Can We Do? Join the Conversation for Change," will be facilitated through ODEP's ePolicyWorks initiative and moderated by ODEP's employer policy team. To register and participate, visit http://EmployerDialogue-ePolicyWorks.ideascale.com.

ODEP encourages employers, human resource and diversity professionals, and all others with expertise and insight into disability employment issues, to participate in the employer dialogue by submitting comments and voting on others' comments. These contributions will help inform ODEP's technical assistance activities.